Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 127-125 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, scoring 40 points and securing 10 rebounds. The victory came after Denver clawed back from a 15-point deficit, marking their first win in three games this season.
Canadian star Jamal Murray made a critical reverse layup with less than a second left in regulation, sending the game into overtime. Jokic then scored seven points in the extra period, helping the Nuggets maintain control as the Raptors missed potential game-tying attempts in the final moments.
Aaron Gordon added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, while Murray and Christian Braun each contributed 17 points, giving Denver the scoring balance needed to edge out the Raptors. Jokic played a game-high 44 minutes, anchoring the team on both ends with his scoring, rebounding, and two blocked shots.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes recorded a near triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists but exited late in the fourth quarter after taking an elbow to the right eye. His absence in the closing minutes was felt as Toronto struggled to contain Jokic in overtime.
RJ Barrett, in his season debut after recovering from a shoulder sprain, scored 20 points and had five rebounds. Jakob Poeltl added a strong presence on the boards with 16 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, but his efforts, along with Barrett’s, weren’t enough to stave off Denver’s comeback.
The game featured intense moments, including a confrontation between Barnes and Russell Westbrook in the fourth quarter after a hard foul by Westbrook, which led to technical fouls for both teams. Barnes briefly left the game following the scuffle but returned before his later injury.
Denver’s comeback exemplified their resilience, especially as they shot below their season average yet held Toronto to a mere 41% shooting in the fourth quarter. Jokic’s efficiency, highlighted by three critical three-pointers in the final quarter and overtime, proved essential as Denver took advantage of Toronto’s late-game shooting struggles.
